Stretch-guide mechanism for continuous moving belts



g- 26,1969 1.. M. WOODSIDE 3,463,023

STRETCH'GUIDE MECHANISM FOR .CONTINUOUS MOVING BELTS Filed Feb. 12. 1968 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS Aug. 26, 1969 L. M. WOODSIDE STRETCHGUIDE MECBANISM FOR CONTINUOUS MOVING BELTS Filed Feb. 12, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 @W fid ATTORNEYS Aug. 26, 1969 L. M. WOODSIDE 3,463,023

STRETCH'GUIDE MECHANISM FOR CONTINUOUS MOVING BELTS 5 Sheets-Sheet 55 Filed Feb. 12. 1968 BY M/LW YM ATTORNEY5' United States Patent 3,463,023 STRETCH-GUIDE MECHANISM FOR CONTINUOUS MOVING BELTS Laurence M. Woodside, Delmar, N.Y., assignor to Albany geltkcompany, Albany, N.Y., a corporation of New Filed Feb. 12, 1968, Ser. No. 704,611 Int. Cl. F16h 7/20 US. Cl. 74-241 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A unitary mechanism for use in continuous moving elastic and inelastic belt systems wherein the belt is wrapped around a peripheral portion of the roll which is maneuverable to provide guiding and guide line adjustment as well as length adjustment.

Background of the invention A continuously traveling belt must be controlled as to direction of travel and position with respect to belt path as it runs around the machine within which it is mounted. Rolls are generally used for this purpose. Two typical means of control have been found useful.

The first of these is to provide a means to prevent one edge of the belt from running ahead of or behind the other edge. In this method of control a guide line is provided crosswise of the belt and the belt wraps a stretch roll for about 180 of the roll. The roll is movable to adjust the length and running tension of the belt. If one end of the stretch roll is moved in the path of belt travel in the direction which shortens the belt travel, the guide line will run ahead on that side so that the operator therefore can continously maintain alignment of the guide line perpendicular to the direction of belt travel. This is referred to as squaring.

A second method of control is referred to as guiding and has as its purpose the control of the belt so that it travels continuously in a straight path and does not move transverse to the direction of travel or run off the rolls. It is known that a traveling endless belt tends to move toward the end of the roll with which it first comes into contact. Guiding is accomplished by wrapping a guide roll with the belt for about 20 to 35 of the roll circumference and providing means to move one end of that roll forward or backward in approximately the plane of travel of the belt.

The machine normally is equipped with a stretch roll, that is, a roll wrapped 180 by the belt which can be used to control the length or tension of the belt. A stretch roll can be used for guiding. However, it is necessary that a belt have some degree of elasticity if guiding is to be accomplished by a roll wrapped approximately 180. In the absence of elasticity, moving one end of the roll to shorten the path of the belt would cause a slack edge. In the case of the usual guide roll, wrapped 20 to 35 degrees, the belt path changes negligibly as the end of the roll is moved. Hence, with an inelastic belt, a guide roll or roll wrapped 20 to 35 is required for guiding. Also, Whenever the stretch roll is used for squaring, the movement of this roll to align the guide line results in movement of the belt transverse to the normal path of travel requiring guiding control in addition to squaring. Hence a guide roll is also needed.

It is clear, therefore, in the prior art that to accomplish guiding of an inelastic belt, or guiding plus guide line adjustment of an elastic belt, two rolls are required, one of which may be the stretch roll.

The use of two rolls and associated mountings and controls increases the cost and complexity of the installation 3,463,923 Patented Aug. 26, 1969 ICC as well as requiring additional attention by the operating personnel. The present invention makes it possible to perform all of these functions with a single roll.

Summary of the invention A single roll capable of guiding a continuously moving belt, whether elastic or inelastic, said roll being Wrapped by the belt for approximately of its circumference and having one or both of its ends movable in a plane substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel of the belt as well as in the plane of movement of the belt to provide guiding as well as guide line adjustment and ad justment of belt length.

Description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a fabric press utilizing the invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the stretch-guide roll with the far end of the roll shown in phantom displaced in a plane which is in the direction of travel of the felt;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic View of the stretch-guide roll used in FIG. 1 with the near end of the roll shown in phantom displaced in a plane which is perpendicular to the direction of felt travel;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the roll shown in the previous figures mounted on a machine with associated mechanism for moving the roll end;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the roll shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a partially sectional view taken along the line 66 in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 4.

Description of an embodiment of the invention In FIG. 1, a belt 10 is shown running around rolls 11 and 12 in the direction of the arrow Y. Each end of the roll 12 is movable in the direction A-B and also in the direction C-D. Guide line adjustment or squaring is accomplished by movements in directions C and D and guiding is accomplished by movements in directions A and B.

Adjustment of the angle of the guide line across the belt, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, can be accomplished by moving only one end of the roll 12 in directions C or D. If the end 12" is moved in the direction C the guide line will move ahead on the edge of the belt on the end 12 of roll 12. When this is done the belt will also move toward the side end 12". To counteract this tendency to guide toward the side which is moved when adjustment of the guide line is desired the remaining end 12 of the roll can be moved in direction B which would tend to cause the belt to move toward the end 12. The two opposite tendencies can be balanced. If the end 12 of roll 12 is moved in direction D the guide line will fall behind on toward the ends 12' and it will be necessary to move the end 12' of roll 12 in direction A to counteract the effect.

Guilding is accomplished by moving the end of roll 12 which is indicated by the numeral 12' in the directions A or B. Moving the end 12 in the direction A with the belt running in the direction indicated by the arrows in the figures will cause the belt to move away from the end 12' and toward the end 12". Likewise, moving the end 12 in the direction B will cause the bet to move toward the end 12. The change in length of belt resulting from such movement is quite small and it is therefore possible to guide either an inelastic or an elastic fabric.

The frame of a machine suitable for this purpose is indicated in FIGS. 4-6 by the numerals 13 and 14. Brackets 15 and 16 supporting roll 12 slide on frames 13 and 14, respectively, and are moved by threaded rods 17 and 18 received, respectively, within threaded inserts 19 and 20 in brackets 15 and 16, respectively. The two threaded rods are rotatably supported by the machine frame so that each can be rotated independently by respective control 21 or they can be rotated together by control 22 through clutch mechanism 23 coupled to shaft 18 at 24 and shaft 17 at 25.

The end 12" of roll 12 is directly supported by bracket 15 With the roll shaft 26 journaled therein. At 12', however, the roll shaft 26 is supported by bracket 16 through the link 27 which is pivotally connected to bracket 16 at the point 28. Link 27 is yieldingly urged downwardly by spring 29 and can be moved upwardly against the pull of the spring by air cylinder 30. The travel of link 27 is limited by adjustable stops 31 and 32. The end of shaft 26 is j ournaled in the end of link 27 at 33.

Adjustment of the guide line on the belt is accomplished by rotating screw rods 17 and/or 18 by controls 21 causing ends of the roll 12 to move in the directions C or D as indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Guiding of either an inelastic or elastic belt is accomplished by moving the link 27 through air cylinder 30 and spring arrangement 29 up or down causing the end 12 of roll 12 to move in directions A or B as indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Adjustments in belt length can be achieved by manipulation of controls 21 or 22.

I claim:

1. A unitary roll in driving relationship with a continuous moving belt wherein the belt is wrapped around a peripheral portion of said roll including in combination first means for moving an end of said roll in a plane, substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel of the belt and second means for moving said end of said roll in the direction of travel of the belt to provide guiding as well as guide line and length adjustment.

2. A roll in accordance with claim 1 in which said roll is wrapped by said belt for approximately of its circumference.

3. A roll in accordance with claim 1 in which said belt is formed of an elastic material.

4. A roll in accordance with claim 1 in which said belt is formed of an inelastic material.

5. In a mechanism for guiding a continuous moving belt, a roll wrapped by said belt for approximately 180 of its circumference, first and second ends of said roll, first and second control means for respectively moving said first and second ends in the plane of movement of said belt and third control means for moving said second end in a plane perpendicular to the direction of travel of said belt.

6. A mechanism in accordance with claim 5 in which fourth control means are provided operatively associated with said first and second control means actuating said first and second control means for moving said first and second ends in unison in the plane of movement of said belt.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1959 Johnson 74-241 6/1961 Madden et a1 74-241 XR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,463,023 August 26, 1969 Laurence M. Woodside It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 52, after "on" insert the edge running over end 12', the felt will be guided line 53 "ends" should read end line 55, "Guilding" should read Guiding line 61, "bet" should read belt Signed and sealed this Zlst day of April 1970.

(SEAL) Attest: Edward M. Fletcher, Jr. WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

